Combination fireplace screen and door



Aug. 25, 1942. J. CSER 2,294,046

COMBlFNATIQN FIREPLACE SCREEN AND DOOR Filed April 12. 1940 51m 4 7///////////////// I i. l \\\\\w *2 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 25, 1942 COMBINATION FIREPLACE SCREEN AND DOOR Joseph Cser, Altadena, Calif. Application April 12, 1940, Serial No. 329,275 Claims. (01. 126 -2202) This invention relates to a combination door and screen for fireplaces and a primary object is to provide a closure and screen constructed as a unit and adapted to be either fixed in position at the fireplace opening into a room or removable therefrom, and in either case composed of adjustable and foldable sections, certain of said sections forming closures for the opening when arranged in a. predetermined position and certain other sections forming screens capable of use in or in front of the opening when the closure sections are not in use.

An object is to provide a structure for the purpose mentioned which is quickly and easily adjustable from one to another selected position according to varying requirements of use and include means whereby, if desirable, the sections may be locked in adjusted positions.

A further object is to provide a structure which readily lends itself to ornamental and decorative treatment so that instead of a usually unsightly fireplace opening the appearance of a fireplace will be substantially ornamental and pleasing and will indicate artistry in the furnishing and equipment of a room.

It is well known that when open fireplaces are not in use they are unsightly, even though they may be provided with ornamental screens, they readily collect dust and are a cause of much labor due to the necessity for keeping them clean, In some localities fires are infrequently kept in fireplaces because of temperate climatic conditions but in such localities some fire in the mornings, evenings and in inclement weather is required for comfortable living conditions. Under such conditions, gas stoves are frequently installed in or at the front of the usual fireplaces, and in such cases, a largeportion of the generated heat rises in and is dispensed from the chimney, thus reducing the benefits of the stove because the fireplace opening has no closure.

Hence, my improved structure is provided and so constructed as to include one or more sections mounted in the arch of the opening and adjustable so as to completely close the opening against escape of theheat directly through the opening and yet capable of adjustment without being completely closed to provide requisite ventilation in the room, the screen sections, meanwhile, being folded inwardly against the closure sections when completely closed, or folded or extended outwardly therefrom when the closure sections are only partially closed.

Other and more detailed objects of invention may appear as the description of my improvehave shown a preferred em bodiment of my invention in the accompanying merits progresses. I

drawing, subject to modification, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit thereof.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fireplace with my improved combination closure and screen attached thereto with the closures operatively positioned for closing of the fireplace;

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewoif a fireplace showing the combined closure .and screens in extended position whereby the screens are operatively positioned;

Fig. 3 is .a perspective view of thesame, showing the closures and screens arranged .so that the screen will be .closely positioned in front of the opening;

Fig. 4 is a sectional 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the closure and screen supporting frame as seen from the rear with portions thereof broken away;

Figs. 6, 7, 8' and 9 are diagrammatical plan views of the fireplace and closure showing various positions thereof;

Fig. '10 is an enlarged sectional detailed view showing the method of attaching the closures to the frame; and 7 Fig. 11 is a perspective front View of handles and latches typical of all of the sections of the unit for holding different members thereof located position.

Briefly described and with reference to said drawing, my improved structure includes a rectangular frame F adapted to closely fit into the opening ;0 of a fireplace P with a bottom rail I forming a sill, vertical side rails 2 and 3 and a horizontal-top rail 4, said rails 2, 3, and ;4 being preferably of right angular cross section so that the webs :2, 3' and 4' thereof, respectively, will snugly engage the corresponding vertical walls and the topof thearchof the opening 0 while the'relatively right angular flanges .2, '3 and :4" of said rails will overlie the outer edges of the archofthe opening, as shown. It may be noted that the-top of frame F has a secondary-rail 5 attached to and depending from the top rail '4, the outer face of which and also the front edge of the bottom rail I being recessed inwardly from the face of the frame so asto form stops at the top and-bottom of the frame for the foldable closure and screen sections of the unit when in closed plan of the same on line position.

The closure and screen sections are assembled in the form of two leaves generally represented as at L and L, one of which leaves is hingedly supported at l on each of the vertical stiles 2 and 3, and each of said leaves includes a screen section S and a pair of closure sections C and C, the size of the screen sections being such that when the unit is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 3, the combined screen sections will substantially span the opening 0 of the fireplace, and when closed the combined closure sections of the two leaves will completely close said opening.

It may be noted at this point that I have shown my combined closure and screen in the drawing in its simplest form for the purpose of illustrating its structure and use and the details herein described are merely descriptive of that form of structure and may be made more or less elaborate and ornamental than in the form herein shown.

The screens S have marginal frames 6 to which the marginal portions of wire screen elements I are suitably attached, and the adjacent edges of the two screen sections when they are in operative positions, have handles 8 and 9, respectively, one of which engages the other to form a latch by means of which the screen sections may be locked together in a common plane parallelling the arch of the fireplace so that they will combine to span the opening of the arch.

The closure sections of the leaves L and L are hingedly secured at corresponding edges to the stiles 2 and 3, respectively, of frame F as at I0, while their opposite edges are hingedly secured to the adjacent edges of the closure sections C as at l2, and the outer edges of closure sections C are hingedly secured to the adjacent edges of the screen sections as at 13. In order that the closure sections may be locked in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, I provide the handle and latch members 8 and 9 near the adjacent margins of the sections C and C of each of the leaves L and L which are similar to those on the screen sections.

It will be observed that when the fireplace is closed, as shown in Fig. l, the screen sections S are folded fiatwise against the rear sides of the closure sections and against the forward edges of the bottom rail 1 and the secondary rail or stop of the upper rail while the outer faces of the closure sections are alined in a common plane either fiush with the face of the arch or outwardly thereof as may be desired.

If desired the closure sections may be unlatched and swung outwardly to a slight extent, as shown in Fig. 8 for the purpose of ventilation, or they may be opened and arranged as shown in Fig. 2 with the screens substantially forward of the opening 0 and the pair of closures on each of the leaves L and L disposed at acute angles relative to each other.

As shown in Fig. 9, the closures C and C of each leaf may be disposed in common planes while the screens are disposed at right angles with respect to the closures. In such positions the several sections of each leaf may be locked together against displacement by means of the handles and latches 8 and 9. In the aforesaid position, when the closure sections are unlocked, the screens may be moved backwardly into any selected plane in front of the arch without unlocking the screen sections and thereby spaced to a greater or lesser extent from the arch.

From the foregoing description of the structure of my improved fireplace closure and screen, it will be noted that I have provided means either adapted to be built into or detachably supported in the opening of the fireplace for regulating the draft occasioned by the open fireplace and for affording ample and proper means for ventilating the room, as well as for regulating the heating of a room and providing an ornamental and effective closure for the fireplace opening.

What I claim, is:

1. A fireplace closure and screen comprising: a frame adapted to fit the opening of said fireplace, closure members hinged to opposite sides of said frame and together forming a complete closure for said opening, screen members hingedly secured to adjacent margins of said closure members and foldable inwardly against said closure members when the closure members are disposed so as to close said opening, all of said members being adjustable for additionally disposing said screen members at varying positions before said opening while said closure members close the ends of the space between the screen members and the opening.

2. A fireplace closure and screen comprising:

a frame adapted to fit the opening of said fireplace, closure members hinged to opposite sides of said frame and together forming a complete closure for said opening, screen members hingedly secured to adjacent margins of said closure members and foldable inwardly against said closure members when the closure members are disposed so as to close said opening, all of said members being adjustable for additionally disposing said screen members at varying positions before said opening while said closure members close the ends of the space between the screen members and the opening, said frame having means thereon for abutting engagement with said members for limiting the inward movement of said members when said opening is completely closed.

3. In combination with a fireplace having an opening, a pair of imperforate closure members at each side of said opening, the corresponding outer member of each pair being hingedly supported at an adjacent side of said opening and the inner member of each pair being hinged to the inner edge of the outer member, and a screen member hinged to each of said inner members, the combined width of said outer, inner and screen members being substantially greater than the width of said opening so that all of said members may be disposed outwardly of the fireplace in desired positions or in folded positions within said opening so as to completely close said opening.

4. In combination with a fireplace having an opening, a pair of imperforate closure members at each side of said opening, the corresponding outer member of each pair being hingedly supported at an adjacent side of said opening and the inner member of each pair being hinged to the inner edge of the outer member, and a screen member hinged to each of said inner members, the combined width of said outer, inner and screen members being substantially greater than the width of said opening so that all of said members may be disposed outwardly of the fire place in desired positions or in folded positions within said opening so as to completely close said opening, and means in said opening forming an abutment for the folded and closed members.

5. A fireplace closure comprising: an open frame adapted to be mounted in the opening of a fireplace, a pair of imperforate foldable sections carried by opposite sides of said frame, the combined width of all of said sections corresponding substantially to the internal width of said frame so that when said sections are extended into a common plane they will close the opening in said frame, screen sections foldable on adjacent imperforate sections and having a combined Width corresponding to the width of said opening so that when said imperforate sections are folded outwardly of the fireplace said screen sections will together span said opening at variable positions outwardly of the fireplace, said screen sections being foldable inwardly against said frame and with respect to said imperforate sections when the said imperforate sections are in closed position.

JOSEPH CSER. 

